R&B/Hip-Hop
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Just two days after Doja Cat unveiled the cover art for her upcoming album, Scarlet, the star has updated the illustration. “Updated cover,” the singer wrote on Instagram on Thursday (Aug. 31) alongside the new art, which features a hand-drawn, spider-like creature with pearls as a head and abdomen against a white background. See the […]
Rod Wave captures his second top 10 this year on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Call Your Friends” debuts at No. 7 on the list dated Sept. 2. The track, released on Alamo Records, will appear on the rapper’s forthcoming album, Nostalgia, due Sept. 15.
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In its debut tracking week of Aug. 18-24, “Call Your Friends” registered 13.9 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate, prompting a No. 4 start on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart. Streams virtually power the entire debut on the multimetric chart, with a negligible amount of track sales and 2,000 radio audience impressions also in the mix. (For scale, the cutoff of this week’s 50-position R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay is 142,000 impressions, though, “Call Your Friends” is not being actively worked and promoted to radio stations as a single. The rapper’s prior release, “Fight the Feeling,” is the radio focus.)
With “Call Your Friends,” Rod Wave adds his eighth career top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and maintains his consistency, having hit the region each year since 2020. Here’s a recap of his top-10 collection:
Song Title, Artist (if other than Rod Wave), Peak Position, Peak Date
“Rags2Riches,” featuring ATR Son Son, No. 7, Aug. 22, 2020
“Tombstone,” No. 5, April 10, 2021
“Street Runner,” No. 9, April 10, 2021
“By Your Side,” No. 10, Dec. 11, 2021
“Cold December,” No. 9, Feb. 5, 2022
“Alone,” No. 7, Aug. 27, 2022
“Fight the Feeling,” No. 7, April 15, 2023
“Call Your Friends,” No. 7, Sept. 2, 2023
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Elsewhere, “Call Your Friends” launches at No. 6 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and is the week’s highest debut on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, at No. 26.
Nostalgia looks to extend Rod Wave’s top-10 streak on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, now at five consecutive projects. The run began with Ghetto Gospel (No. 10 in 2018) and followed with Pray 4 Love (No. 2, 2019); SoulFly (No. 1, 2021); Beautiful Mind (No. 1, 2022) and Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory (No. 9, 2022).
After Kenosha police officers mistakenly believed Jermelle English Jr. was involved in a hit-and-run incident and arrested him at a Kenosha, Wisc., Applebees in July, Jay-Z’s Team ROC — Roc Nation’s philanthropic and social justice arm — has hired attorney Alex Spiro to get all charges dropped in the upcoming case.
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According to ABC WISN 12, cell phone footage caught Kenosha police officers approached English inside the restaurant and accused him of being a suspect in the car crash. Despite vehemently denying his involvement, authorities pinned him down to the ground while he held his 1-year-old child. Witnesses told police the suspects involved in the hit-and-run included two Black men and a woman carrying a child heading toward a local Applebee’s. Officers believed English was the culprit and aimed to pull the baby out of his hands while attacking him on the ground. According to the Associated Press, the video appears to show one of the officers punching English.
Though police later learned English and his family were not involved, Kenosha police charged him with disorderly conduct, resisting and obstructing an officer. The woman who was with him received the exact same charges, along with possession of marijuana. The actual culprits were later found and apprehended in the restaurant’s bathroom.
According to ABC and NBC News, the Kenosha police have launched an internal investigation into the incident. Billboard has reached out to the Kenosha Police Department for comment.
“The reckless arrest of Jermelle English Jr. and the careless endangerment of his infant child by the Kenosha Police Department is an absolute travesty,”Dania Diaz, Team ROC’s managing director, said in a release. “The Team ROC team is here to support Jermelle and his family through this traumatic experience, demand justice and hold the Kenosha police officers accountable.”
Along with working on getting the charges dropped, Spiro will also work to “evaluate civil suits against those responsible,” according to the announcement from Team ROC.
This isn’t the first time Team Roc has aided the community of Milwaukee. In 2020, it helped coordinate a rally for Alvin Cole in Wauwatosa, who was killed by a police officer earlier. Team ROC paid legal fees for the peaceful demonstrators arrested and fined for their involvement.
The race to Diddy’s sixth studio effort, The Love Album: Off the Grid, is in high gear, as the perennial hitmaker finally unveils the features for his elusive offering.
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Set to drop Sept. 15, the starry lineup includes notable names such as The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Jazmine Sullivan, H.E.R, Summer Walker, Babyface, John Legend, Teyana Taylor and more. On Wednesday (Aug. 30), Diddy noted on Instagram that he in fact has the final feature of The Weeknd’s career, after the singer announced earlier this month that he was done with collaborations.
“IT’S OFFICIAL @THEWEEKND’S LAST COLLAB OF HIS CAREER WILL BE ON….THE LOVE ALBUM :OFF THE GRID!, exclaimed Puff on Instagram.
“Music is my first love, and music has given me a second chance at life, so stepping back into the studio to make this album has been a soulful experience that brought me closer to myself and my purpose,” Diddy said in a press release. “This album wasn’t created to feed an algorithm or be relevant with the trends of the times — it was created to touch souls and freely express my story with the best artists, writers and producers shaping the future of R&B.”
Diddy previously released a bevy of singles to kickstart the album, including his Adult R&B chart-topping single “Gotta Move On” with Bryson Tiller, his PARTYNEXTDOOR-assisted track “Sex In the Porsche” and his summer club-starter “Act Bad.”
Along with announcing the features for The Love Album, Puff also dropped the tracklist, which sits at a whopping 23 songs. This project marks his first official release under his new label, Love Records, and his first solo album since 2006’s Press Play. Since then, he dropped his 2010 collaborative project Last Train to Paris with Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper as Dirty Money and his 2015 mixtape MMM (Money Making Mitch).
Check out the tracklist below.
Track list
Brought My Love Diddy ft The Dream and Herb Alpert
What’s Love Diddy, Nova Wav
Deliver Me Diddy, Dirty Money, Busta Rhymes, Dawn Richard and Kalenna
Stay A While Diddy Nija
Homecoming Diddy, Jozzy
Pick Up Diddy Jacquees ft Fabolous
Tough Love Diddy ft Swae Lee
Stay Long Diddy ft Summer Walker
Belongs to You Diddy Jozzy
Another One Of Me Diddy ft The Weeknd, French Montana, 21 Savage
INTERMISSION
Moments Diddy ft Justin Bieber
Need Somebody Diddy ft Jasmine Sullivan
Mind Ya Business Diddy ft, Ty Dolla $ign, Kelani
Nasty interlude Jozzy
Reachin Diddy ft Ty Dolla $ign Coco Jones
Stay part 1 Diddy Kalan FrFr K-Ci
I Like Diddy ft Mary J Blige
Closer to God Diddy ft Teyana Taylor
BooHoo Diddy ft Jeremih
Interlude Burna Boy Interlude
Kim Porter Diddy Babyface ft John Legend
Space Diddy ft H.E.R.
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On Aug. 9, during the Warsaw stop on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour, The Weeknd said, “I just wanna say that this is gonna be the last feature I ever do, ever in my career,” before launching into a still-unreleased song titled “Another One of Me.” At the time, he revealed neither the other […]
Fans were already lined up to enter Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Monday night (Aug. 28) for the first of two shows from Drake when they were informed that the gig had been postponed. “Due to unforeseen circumstances with the newly-installed videoboard at Rogers Arena, tonight’s Drake performance will now take place on Wednesday, August […]
Los Angeles singer-songwriter August 08 has died at age 31.
“The entire Def Jam family mourns the tragic loss of Ray’ August 08′ Jacobs,” Def Jam said in a statement to Billboard on Tuesday (Aug. 29). “A brilliant songwriter, an accomplished musician and a singular artist, August will remain in our memory as a beloved colleague and friend. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.”
Born Ray Jacobs, August was the first signee to Jhene Aiko’s Allel Sound label and released his first EP under her imprint in July 2022. Titled Towards the Moon, August’s project was anchored by his song “Water Sign” with Aiko. Towards the Moon was the follow-up to his April 2022 EP Towards the Sun.
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“August is an incredible writer, singer and artist whose music speaks to me on so many levels… As a fellow Los Angeles native, I am so proud of him,” Aiko told Variety last year upon signing him. “August’s talent, love for songwriting and hands on approach with his art is something I can relate to and have a great amount of respect for. It was a natural evolution of our friendship and musical collaboration to have him become the first artist signed to Allel Sound. I couldn’t be more excited to work with August.”
Before August teamed with Def Jam and Aiko’s label, he previously aligned with 88rising, where he worked with Joji on his Seasick album cut “What We Used To Be.” He also paired himself with ScHoolboy Q on “Cutlass” on the aforementioned project.
“RIP August the kindest and most talented genius you will be missed beyond words,” 88rising shared on Instagram. “Thank you for being an amazing mentor and a steadfast friend through all these years. We are forever grateful to you and the joy you brought in every room, through every song. Your energy, guidance and care gave so much inspiration and strength that will be carried on always.”
In June, August 08 released “Bruises,” which he called “an expression of love through all.” “Been through a lot of heartache in my love life but I’ve always been able to put the pieces back together and move forward. ‘Bruises’ speaks to love and how it may waiver but never completely abandons us,” he said after the release. “This video represents love in all forms and how no matter our difference we can love through all. I love how music can connect people from all over allowing for freedom of express. I wanted to pay homage with love and respect to the art and the community.”
On the songwriting side, August collaborated with Ty Dolla $ign, Duckwrth, Kyle and more. He also co-wrote DJ Khaled’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “I’m the One,” featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has giving his thoughts after Eminem’s performing rights organization BMI sent him a cease-and-desist letter for the use of his song, “Lose Yourself.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I’ll respect his wishes,” the politician told MSNBC, before referencing the rapper’s “The […]
Travis Scott is taking his Billboard 200 No. 1 album Utopia around North America this fall and winter for the Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour, Live Nation announced Tuesday (Aug. 29).
The 28-date jaunt begins at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center on Oct. 11 and travels throughout major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York City before wrapping Dec. 29 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour will also include Scott’s largest headlining show to date at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Nov. 5.
Despite Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s statement earlier this month about Scott returning to his hometown as part of his upcoming tour, the Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour currently does not have any dates listed for Houston. Houston Police Department Union president Douglas Griffith said in his own statement that Oct. 19 and Nov. 20 “were the dates in which were proposed for the return.” If Scott were to return to Houston for a performance, it would mark his first since the Astroworld Festival tragedy in November 2021, when 10 people died and hundreds were injured during a deadly crowd crush. On the day of Utopia‘s release, on July 28, HPD released a nearly 1,300-page report detailing the investigation into the tragedy. The report arrives just a month after a Houston grand jury declined to file criminal charges against Scott and other Astroworld organizers over the deadly incident. Since the Nov. 5, 2021, event, thousands of alleged victims have filed more than 400 civil lawsuits against Scott, Live Nation and others involved with the festival.
Tickets will go on sale Thursday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. local time at travisscott.com. Live Nation reported that $2 from every ticket sold will go to the rapper’s Cactus Jack Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift Houston youth through toy drives, scholarship programs to HBCU college students, and fulfilling expenses for education and creative endeavors.
Scott’s latest album, Utopia, has spent the last four weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making it his third No. 1 on the chart and first solo album since 2018’s Astroworld. It’s also the first rap album to spend its first four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in five years, since Drake’s Scorpion.
The “Meltdown” MC performed the album for the first time in Italy on Aug. 7, alongside special guest Kanye West, in front of 60,000 people at Rome’s Circus Maximus. The concert occurred after his canceled live set at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, which was originally slated for July 28. CNN reported that 60 people were injured at Scott’s Italy concert.
See the dates below.
Oct. 11 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum CenterOct. 13 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC ArenaOct. 17 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines CenterOct. 20 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile CenterOct. 22 – Denver, CO – Ball ArenaOct. 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint CenterOct. 29 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden ArenaOct. 31 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland ArenaNov. 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi StadiumNov. 8 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge ArenaNov. 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers ArenaNov. 12 – Portland, OR @ Moda CenterNov. 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta CenterNov. 18 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK CenterNov. 21 – Austin, TX @ Moody CenterNov. 25 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm ArenaNov. 27 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya CenterDec. 4 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone ArenaDec. 6 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank ArenaDec. 8 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints ArenaDec. 10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo CenterDec. 12 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars ArenaDec 15 – Chicago, IL @ United CenterDec. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays CenterDec. 21 – New York City, NY @ Madison Square GardenDec. 23 – Boston, MA @ TD GardenDec. 26 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential CenterDec. 29 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
For years, musicians pretty much had just one artistic outlet for dissing their enemies: through song. That would all change for good circa 1981, however, when the modern music video was born — bringing with it a whole new way for singers and rappers to creatively dunk on their haters, exes, backstabbers, copycats and everyone […]